bad start/tickover 1981 xj650

After engine rebuild to sort gearbox, she did |NOT want to fire on all 4, I looked at the pickup coils, and to my shame and horror the baseplate was missing all retaining screws. Replaced them, and she runs on all 4, but not well at all. Could I have trashed my pickups?, rattling around (didn`t ride it, but feeling sick right now). Plugs 1 and 4 sooty, 2 and 3 shiny/wet. It ran normally before I had to pull the motor to fix a gear selector problem. The gap between the pickup and the rotors is .6mm (upper) .9 (lower). I dressed them with a fine file, no difference to running. It will start, but wont rev properly or idle.

 

Since all four are firing then the pickups are working.
The plate has some movement in it and possibly the pickups can get moved a little also. So timing can partially go awry.

Connecting the ignition coils to the wrong outputs has some pretty awful outcomes also, kinda fires but not really type of thing.

In saying that, sounds like you are super rich.
The fuel enrichment circuit isn't stuck open or something? Or the air hole on the air box covered over?

 

Thanks! some good leads there to follow up. The Isle of Man TT is not far away, might just make qualifying if this works

 

Isle of man! Whenever I hear the name I think of Barry Sheen.